1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the presentation of Internet data and DSS data on a television screen, and more specifically to displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) having an option palette that facilitates a user's ability to navigate through the presented DSS data.
2. Related Art
Over the last few years there has been a growing demand for entertainment systems that facilitate a user's ability to access multiple broadcast, information, and entertainment mediums. One type of broadcast medium is a broadcast satellite system such as a digital satellite system (DSS). DSS typically includes an antenna, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD), a television receiver (TV), and a remote controller. DSS may additionally include an analog video cassette recorder (VCR) that receives analog data for recording purposes.
In operation, the antenna receives digital bit streams from a satellite and routes the bit streams to the IRD. Typically, the digital bit streams include sensory data (e.g., video and/or audio) and programming data for one or more shows. The IRD receives the bit streams from the antenna and decodes the bit streams into data that can be presented to a user via the TV. The user selects which portion of the decoded data is transmitted from the IRD to the TV through actuation of the remote controller.
One type of information and entertainment medium is the Internet. The Internet may be accessed by a user through an Internet terminal system such as a WebTV Plus system. The WebTV Plus system typically includes a TV, an Internet terminal interconnecting the TV to the users phone line and the user's cable line, and a remote controller that can be actuated by the user to control what information is presented on the TV by the Internet terminal. In addition, the WebTV Plus system may also include a wireless keyboard and a printer.
In operation, the Internet terminal receives cable-based broadcasts from the user's cable service provider via the user's cable line and receives Internet data from the user's Internet service provider via the user's phone line. The user selects how the received information is displayed on the TV through actuation of the remote controller.
Currently there exists a need for an integrated DSS/Internet system that permits a user to view DSS channels, local cable-based and/or terrestrial-based channels, and Internet data in a seamless fashion. Furthermore, there is a need for an integrated DSS/internet system having a graphical user interface that facilitates the user's ability to access and/or simultaneously view DSS programming and Internet web sites. Moreover, there is a need for a graphical user interface having an option palette that enables the user to filter the presentation of DSS programming in accordance with predetermined filtering criteria.